Sweet and sour Garoupa

When cooking 'sweet and sour fish' I prefer using Garoupa or another of which is black pomfret. The sweet and sour sauce also varies from one home-cook to another.  In this write-up I have two different sauces to share, hope you all enjoy it as much as my family.

Ingredients:

• 1 garoupa (not in picture)
• 2 tomato (diced)
• 1/2 onion (diced)
• 1/3 cucumber (deseeded and diced)

Marinade:

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• Dash of pepper

Sauce: (mix well in a bowl)

• 3 tbsp tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar (add more if needed)
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 cup water (add more if needed)

For coating: (mix well)

• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup plain flour

Methods:

1. Wash the fish, slit open from the stomach and wipe dry.  Rub the marinade onto the fish and let it stand for at least 2 hours letting the marinade seep through well.
2. Heat up enough oil for deep-frying the fish. 
3. Coat the fish with the flour mixture, deep fry in medium heat till crispy on both sides.  Dish and place on a serving plate.
4. In a clean wok heat up 2 tbsp oil, stir-fry onion, tomato and cucumber for about 1/2 minute, then add in the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil.  Taste for the correct seasoning, then off the heat and pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

This next dish is even much simpler, in terms of preparing the fish, the marinating process as well as the sauce.  This will be the sweet and sour fish I prepare if I fall short of the sauce ingredients such as cucumber or tomato and off course not to mention if I prefer to cook a simpler dish or with a slight change of flavour and taste.

How to go about?

• after I clean the fish I'll just cut few slits on both side and rub some salt over to marinate.
• I dust the fish with tapioca or corn flour and deep-fry until both sides are crispy and golden brown.
• for the sauce, I will saute 1 tbsp or more chopped garlic in medium heat oil for about 1/2 minute (don't let it brown), then pour in the pre-mix sauce mixture which comprises roughly of 3 tbsp tomato sauce; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp corn flour and 1/2 cup of water.  Stir well and once the sauce thickens pour over fish and serve immediately.

Note:  The measurement of the sauce ingredients above are just my rough estimate as I normally use my instinct when I cook this dish.  For your cooking, please do taste before serving to get the correct seasoning of your preference, which is sourish-sweet and slightly salty.